Method and apparatus for radiosignaling



Sept. 18, 1923. 1,468,059

R. A. WEAGANT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RADIOSIGNALING Filed Feb. 7, 1919 2 Shani-shut 1 @ATTOR' Y Sept. 18, 1923.

R. A. WEAGANT METHQD AND APPARATUS FOR RADIOSIGNALING Filed Feb. 7, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Q91 M A' fT NEY Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROY ALEXANDER WEAGANT, OF DOUGLAS MANOR, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION 01". DELA- WARE.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RADIOSIGNALING.

Application filed February 7, 1919- Serial No. 275,555

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoY ALEXANDER WEAGANT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Douglas Manor county of Queens, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Methods and Apparatus for Radiosignaling, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for radio signaling partlcularly adapted for eliminating static interference in radio reception. e invention is based on the discoveries forming the subject matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 181,458. In that application I have disclosed mydiscoveries in regard to the nature of heterogeneous disturbances, which act as if they were vertically propagated waves. These discoveries have enabled me to devise methods and apparatus for the minimizing or elimination of static interference, because the vertically propagated heterogeneous disturbances and the horizontally propagated signal waves may be received in antennae associated in such manner that the currents due to the static impulses are balanced out or cancelled while the signal currents are usefully retained. The present application is another from of the invention disclosed in my copending aplication Serial No. 275,553 filed February 1919, in which the broader aspects of the invention are claimed. I

Owing to the fact among others that the earth is not a perfect conductor, the advanc-.

ing wave front of horizontally propagated waves may not be substantially vertical, but may be either tipped forward or backward at an angle to the horizontal.

I have discovered, that if an antenna in the form of a linear oscillator for instance, extending in the general direction of reception, is adjusted at varying angles with the horizontal, an angle can be found, presumably normal to the wave front of signal waves to be received, at which the antenna will not pick up signals, but does continue to pick up static, which is to be expected owing to the vertical propagation of static waves. I thus have an antenna which is responsive to staticwaves but is unresponsive to signal waves, and I use such an antenna as a static tank as it may be called, to supply static currents to neutralize the static currents in another receiving antenna or antenna system, while retaining the signal from that system.

My method of operation, with apparatus based on the foregoing principles, is thus to so position one portion of an antenna system that currents are set up therein by static effects only, but to set up in another portion of said antenna both signal and-static currents, and selectively combine the currents in the system, while retaining the signal.

There are many advantages in this mode of operation and the apparatus required is simple and readily adjusted. The portions of the antenna system do not require to be of large size and may be arranged near together as one aerial system at the receiving station or receiving house, so that fractional -wave length spacing of antennae and long leads with their attendant inconveniences are obviated.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown several .preferred illustrative forms of apparatus for carrying out the invention, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an antenna system having two associated portions, one a linear oscillator which may be tilted in different directions, and the other a loop; and.

Figure 2 is a similar view of a modification in which two linear oscillators are shown.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1, representing an antenna system, A is one portion of the system in the form of a linear oscillator, which may be a wire mounted on suitable insulators B carried by a support C pivotably mounted on the frame D so that it may be adjusted at different angles in vertical and horizontal planes. As shown in this instance the support C is movable in avertical plane about the horizontal pivot E carried by the stirrup F which in turn is rotatable about a vertical axis so that the support C and antenna A may be swung about the frame D into different planes. I have merely described a suitable form of universal pivot for the supporting portions of the antenna A in order to illustrate my invention but I am not to be understood as limiting the invention to the mechanical means shown.

The antenna A may be of any convenient length and its length will be determined somewhat by the size of the loop antenna portion G which is shown associated with the antenna A. The relative dimensions of the antennaa A and G will be so chosen that signals ofsuflicient strength are received. I have shown a s stem comprising the loop portion G and t e linear oscillator portion A suitable for carrying out my method of operation and illustrative of my apparatus, although other forms of antenna systems may be devised operating in accordance with the principles of my invention.

Tne antenna A is provided with suitable means for tuning it to a particular signal wave, and in this instance have shown variable tuning inductances H and a variable condenser J which is preferably inserted between the variable coupling coils K. Similar tuning means are provided for the loo antenna (1 and the two antennae A and which may be considered as portions of one system are conveniently associated by means of a common circuit L cou led to the coupling coils K as by means 0 the variable coupling coils M and N. The circuit L as shown is provided with the coupling coil 0 to which a suitable common detector circuit P is coupled in any convenient manner. Any other suitable and convenient means of associatin the antennae or antenna portions A and may be provided as desired.

By reason of the pivotable arrangement described, the antenna A may be pointed at the transmitting station and assuming for instance that the desired signals are coming from the direction indicated by the arrow Q, the antenna A would be pointed in that direction. I have found that when the antenna A is set at a certain angle the signal in the system disappears and currents due to static disturbances only remain. This is due to the fact, I assume, that the antenna A is adjusted substantially at right angles to the actual wave front. The angle of the antenna A inay sometimes be above and sometimes below the horizontal plane passing throu h the pivotal point of the an.- tenna, in icating that the signal wave is sometimes tipped forward and sometimes tip ed backward.

hen the antenna A is adjusted at the proper an 1e it is unresponsive to a particular signa wave to which it is tuned, but

continues to be responsive to static waves,

assumed to be coming from overhead, and forms what may be termed a .static tank. The loop antenna G on the other hand is responsive to both static and signal waves and by means of the circuits associating the two antenna portions A and G, the currents in the portions due to the static impulses are opposed and cancelled while the signal is retained. I am thus enabled to selectively combine the currents due to static and signal waves in the entire system, that is the static currents are differentially combined thus leavin the signal.

In the modification shown in Figure 2 an antenna U in the form of a linear oscillator is shown in lace of the loop antenna G. The antenna is provided with the tuning elements and coupling means as indicated in Fi ure 1, and each antenna portion A and U is assumed to be an ularl adjustable as indicated for antenna A in igure 1. If it be assumed that antenna A is adjusted to make a certain angle a with the horizontal and in such position is found to be unresponsive to signals, then the antenna U s ould be adjlusted at an angle b with the horizontal eit er greater or smaller than the angle a so that antenna U will be res onsive to 0th static and signals. Antenna forms a static tank as before, that is the antenna is. responsive to static waves only,and the currents due to said static waves are balanced against the currents due to static waves in the antenna U4 leaving the si nal. In the form of the invention shown in igure 2 either one of the antennae A or U may obviously be used as a static tank, and either or both of the antennas A and U may be constructed like the antenna A shown in Figure 2, pivoted at the center, or either or both may be pivoted at one of the ends.

I wish it understood that in the following claims I use the word collect or collecting in connection .with an antenna portion or antenna system to mean that electromagnetic waves, whether signal or static, strike the portion or system in question in such manner as to set up currents therein.

I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following:

1. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consists in So positioning one portion of an antenna system with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission as to collect substantially static only, collecting both static and signals in another ortion of said antenna system, and opposing the currents due to static in said antenna portions while retaining the signals.

2. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consists in collecting static currents in one portion of an antenna system by adjusting the direction of said portion with respect to the horibontal plane and direction of transmission to substantially prevent signal waves from striking thereon, collecting both static and signals in another portion of said antenna system, and opposin the currents due to static in said antenna portions while retaining the signals.

3. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consists in so.positioning one portion of an antenna system with respect, to the horizontal plane fso I and relatively to the direction of transmission so as to substantially eliminate signal currents therefrom, collecting static in said portion as currents of signal frequency, collecting both static and signals in another portion of said antenna system, and opposing the currents due to static in said antenna portions while retaining the signals.

4. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consists in adjusting a portion of an antenna system with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission, collecting static currents in said portion of an antenna system as currents of signal frequency, and substantially preventin signal waves from striking thereon, co lecting static in said portion as currents of signal frequency, collecting both static and signals in another portion of said antenna system, and opposing the currents due to static in said antenna portions while retaining the signals.

5. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consists in collecting both static and signals in one portion of an antenna system, angularly adjusting a second portion of said antenna system with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission so that it is normally unresponsive to signals but continues to collect static, maintaining said condition of the second antenna portion during reception, and opposing the currents due to static in said antenna portions while retaining the signals.

6. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consits in collecting both static and signals in one portion of an antenna system, angularly adjusting a second portion of said system in the form of a linear oscillator with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission so that it is normally unresponsive to signals but continues to collect static, maintaining said condition of the second portion during reception, and opposing the currents due to static in said antenna portions while retaining the signals.

7. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consists in collecting both static and signals in one portion of an antenna system, adjusting the angular relation of the longitudinal axis of a second portion of said antenna system with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission until said second portion becomes unresponsive to signals, while continuing to collect static waves, and opposing the currents due to static in said antenna portions while retaining the signals.

8. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consists in collecting both static and signals in one portion of an antenna system, adjusting the angular relation of the longitudinal axis of a second portion of said antenna system in the form of a linear oscillator with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission, until said second portion becomes unresponsive to signals, while continuing to collect static waves, and opposing the currents due to static in said anignna portions While retaining the signa 9. The method of minimizing static interference in radio reception which consists in collecting both static and signals in one portion of an antenna system, adjusting the angle of a second portion of said antenna system with the horizontal to substantially eliminate the vertical component of said portion with respect to arriving signal waves, thereby rendering said second portion of the antenna system unresponsive to said signal Waves, and opposing the currents due to static in said antenna portions While retaining the signals.

10. The method of minimizing static interference in radio transmission which consists in collecting both static and signals in oneportion of an antenna system, adjusting the angle with the horizontal of a second portion of said antenna system in the form of a linear oscillator until the signal disappears while only static remains in said second antenna portion, and opposing the currents due to static in said antenna portions while retaining the signals.

11. In radio reception, apparatus for min imizing the interference of static impulses, comprising a plurality of associated portions of an antenna system, one being adapted to collect both static and signal Waves, and another so positioned with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission so as to collect static waves only, and means for selectively combining the currents due to static and signal waves in said antenna portions in such manner that static currents are cancelled and the signal currents retained.

12. In radio reception, apparatus for minimizing the interference of static impulses, comprising a plurality of associated portions of an antenna system, one bein adapted to collect both static and signa waves, and another so ositioned with respect to the horizontal p ane and relatively to the direction of transmission so as to collect static waves only and means for opposin and cancelling the static currents in sai antenna portions while retaining the signal currents.

13. In radio reception, apparatus for minimizing the interference of static impulses, comprising a plurality of associated portions of an antenna system, one being responsive to both static and signal waves, and another .being so positioned with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission so as to be unresponsive to signal waves, and means for differentially combining the static currents in said antenna portions, while retaining the signal currents.

14. In radio reception, apparatus for minimizing theinterference of static impulses, comprising a plurality of associated portions of an antenna system, one being adapted to collect both static and signal waves, and another being in the form of a linear oscillator adapted to be adjusted with respect to the horizontal plane and direction of transmission to extend in a direction normal to the advancing wave front of signal waves, andcthereby being unresponsive to signals, a common detector circuit, and means for differentially combining the currents due to static While retaining the signal. 15. In radio reception, apparatus for minimizing the interference of static impulses, comprising two associated portions of an antenna system, one being adapted to receive both static and signal waves, and the other being in the form of an angularly adjustable linear oscillator positioned by adjusting the direction of said portion with respect to the horizontal plane and direction of transmission to collect static only, acommon. detector circuit, and means for differentially combining the currents due to static while retaining the signal.

16. In radio reception, apparatus for minimizing the interference of static impulses, comprising two associated portions of an antenna system, at least one being in the form of a linear oscillator, means for adjusting said linear oscillator in vertical and horizontal planes, a common detector circuit, and means for differentially combining the currents due to static while retaining the signal.

17. In radio reception, apparatus for minimizing the interference of static impulses comprising two associated portions of an antenna system, one being responsive to both static and signal waves, and the other being in the form of a linear oscillator, means for adjusting the angular position of said linear l0 imizing the interference of static impulses,

cOlIlpIlSiHg two associated portions of an an tenna system both tuned to the same Wave length, one of said portions being responsive to both static and signal waves, the other 'of said portions being directive and adjustable with respect to the horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission whereby it may be rendered unresponsive to the signal waves, said second portion being responsive to the static, means whereby the position ofsaid second portion may be adjusted torender it unresponsive to the signal waves, a common detector circuit, and means for difl'erentially combining in'said detector circuit the effects due to static acting on said antenna portions, while retaining the signal.

19. In radio reception, apparatus for minimizing the interference of static impulses, comprising two associated portions tuned to the same wave length, one-of said portions being responsive to both static and signal waves, the other of said portions being positioned with respect to the. horizontal plane and relatively to the direction of transmission to collect substantially static'only, a common detector circuit, and means for differentially combining in said detector circuit the effects due to static acting on said antenna portions, while retaining the signal.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

R Y ALEXANDER WEAGANT.

Witnesses:

M. H. PAYNE, HERBERT G. OGDEN. 

